January 21st, 2008 | categorizilation: all categories,USA (Alabama),USA (FLorida),USA (LOUISIANA),USA (Mississippi),vids
From Tampa (Florida) to Slidell (Louisiana)
(click on image for video)
January 20th, 2008 | categorizilation: all categories,USA (LOUISIANA)
I woke up on Saturday to heavy rain and wind. No the optimal skating weather by any means. It was an easy decision to hang out at Renee’s place for the day. The next day was a pre-Mardi Gras parade in the city, so it was an easy decision to stay Saturday night too.
I spent some of the morning on Saturday sweeping out the barn to keep warm and active.
Renee is a horse trainer, however she and her daughter Jaimie are in the throws of uprooting their life in Louisiana to return to their house and home in Florida. A once lively horse stable slowly got quieter as clients came and picked up their horses to move them to other locations.
It was evident that despite being happy to be heading back home to Florida, Renee and Jamie still felt the pain of closure at the farm, shedding tears as the horses left and once clients, now friends, drove away.
Later in the evening, we visited Miss Hazel, Miss Patsy, and Miss Elizabeth down the road. A raukus bunch – lots of laughs!
Sunday saw more raukus madness with a local Mardi Gras parade through town. Copious, copious amounts of beads were dispensed by the passing floats.
Â
In defiance of the rapidly cooling day, we stoked up a campfire next to Renee’s trailer in the evening. Renee’s long time friend Darrel, a songwriter Renee met while living in Nashville, visited and reminised with Renee through song. Incredible melodies and fine guitar playing filled the clear full moon night with a peaceful joy.
Â
January 18th, 2008 | categorizilation: all categories,USA (LOUISIANA),USA (Mississippi)
Today’s distance / ???????: 58.6 miles / 94.2km
Average speed / ????: 9.6mph / 15.5km/h
Time on skateboard / ????: 6h 05m
Total skateboarding distance to date / ????????????: 1814mi (plus 266mi) / 2919km (plus 430km)
Ascent / ??: n/a
Descent / ??: n/a
End-of-day GPS coordinates: N30.15.42.1, W089.43.18.4
I had to have my smooth roads radar set on high today, weaving in and out of neighbourhoods in Biloxi, Gulfport, Long Beach, and Pass Christian along the Gulf of Mexico coast of Mississippi.
Traffic was not much of an issue – their were no houses in the vicinity. Just slabs of concrete where houses used to be.
This whole area was once packed with luxury beach-front mansions. Not any longer.
The wind was behinf be however, and the road surfaces were smooth on the whole, with US Highway 90 from Bay St. Louis with wide smooth shoulders all the way to and past the Louisiana border.
In Bay St. Louis I chanced upon the local Rotary Club’s annual Chilli Cookoff. I went in to see what all the fuss was about.
I asked each competetor to describe to me their chilli. The Bay Carpet’s entry was green based chilli with duck and pork. Peneguy CPA’s was ‘football chilli’. Hancock Medical Center was “out to win!” with their green curry. Pest Control Specialists Bugman’s Special Chilli was suspect, but was a “home brewed Mom and Pop recipe”. Coast Choarale’s effort was made with love, the chilli sung to while it was cooking, aparently. Dr Charlie West’s entry was spicy, for a party, and will “keep you coming back for more, just like this part of Mississippi”. Silver Slipper Casino’s chilli, served by a chef (who just grunted when I asked him whether he was here because he wanted to be or whether he was just there coz he was paid to be there), said he didn’t make the chilli. “How’s you chilli?” I asked. “Good” he replied.
From Bay St. Louis, I continued on west into Louisiana, past swamps on either side of the road.
I asked for directions at around 5:30pm and was promptly invited to stay at Renee and Jamie’s place for the night at their horse stables. With the weather forecast for rain tonight, it was a welcome invitation!
January 17th, 2008 | categorizilation: all categories,USA (Mississippi)
Today’s distance / ???????: 22 miles / 36.6km
Average speed / ????: 7.5mph / 12km/h
Time on skateboard / ????: 3h 02m
Total skateboarding distance to date / ????????????: 1755mi (plus 266mi) / 2825km (plus 430km)
Ascent / ??: n/a
Descent / ??: n/a
End-of-day GPS coordinates: N30.23.42.2, W088.56.37.7
Well, the day is not over yet, but I am currently inside the temporary Biloxi Public Library, doing my updates. This whole area is still a bit of a mess with reconstruction still going on after hurricane Katrina.
I started the day in good spirits after I found a nice back road as an alternative to US90 with its rough shoulders. These good spirits didn’t last long. The back road incresed in traffic, and I was forced to get off the road on numerous occassions to avoid holding up traffic. No shulders seems to be the story of my life here in Mississippi.
The road above was closed, so there was no traffic. It was all torn up ready for re-paving however, so it was a mile or so of bumpy skating scum.
Eventually I made it to Ocean Springs, and to the newly constructed Biloxi Bridge.
I rolled into Biloxi just before noon, and made a beeline for the public library. Time to get some batteries charged and some blog updated.
———————————–
BIG NEWS
January 16th, 2008 | categorizilation: all categories,USA (Mississippi)
I awoke today to rain and wind. I didn’t even bother to look outside. I slept in till 11am.
By 1pm it was still raining, and I had completely given up any idea of skating today. The rough shoulder of US90 was not exactly beckoning to me.
So in the end I spent the whole day napping. The only serious work I did was do another international radio interview – this time with a radio station in Brisbane, Australia. I was getting low on power on my cell phone, so I was hoping it wouldn’t run out duing the interview!
January 16th, 2008 | categorizilation: all categories,USA (Alabama),USA (Mississippi)
Today’s distance / ???????: 60 miles / 96.6km
Average speed / ????: 8.4mph / 13.5km/h
Time on skateboard / ????: 7h 08m
Total skateboarding distance to date / ????????????: 1732mi (plus 266mi) / 2788km (plus 430km)
Ascent / ??: n/a
Descent / ??: n/a
End-of-day GPS coordinates: N30.23.43.1, W088.40.39.6
(Daufin Island)
Bit of an epic day today. I left Daufin Island with smooth roads.
Passed by ship building yards at Alabama Port.
Amazed by the tranquil beauty of the surrounding area. Locals oystering in the morning’s calm.
The smooth roads were all to change by the time I got to Mississippi. I made the executive decision to cancel the Adventure Cycle Association route plan that I had intended on after I realised that the country roads that the route would have me follow had too much traffic and not enough shoulder. I eyed up the ultra nice smooth shoulder on Interstate Expressway 10 as I skated over it on an overbridge. How nice that would be…
It was not to be however, as I was sure that I wouldn’t get too far on that highway before being pulled off by police. I continued my trek by ways of US higway 90. To my dismay, the shoulder was grooved, apparently as an extra ‘rumble-strip’.
I get the impression more and more as I skate away from Florida that roads in this part of the country were meant for one mode of transport only – automobile. This got only worse the further into Mississippi I went. Granted, the area is recovering from some fairly serious hurricanes in the recent past, but these shoulders are terrible.
Ask a local if there is any alternative to US90, and they’ll say “No sir. That’s the only way west.” I have all but given up on asking locals about roads. A quick scout of the area showed a short section (about 5 miles) of nice smooth blacktop back road that let me into Pascagoula.
By the way, what’s with all the flags?
These little suckers line the road-side, apparently indicating the location of buried wires. Seems a little excessive at times, with hundreds of the little fellas flapping in the breeze.
There is a story behind the above photo, also. I was crouching down to take the photo. Intensely focussed on getting the flag in focus and well-framed. Wating for the wind to blow it just-so so that the text would show. A moment later, the stinging began.
Unbeknownst to me, I was crouched atop a fire-ant hill. Hundreds of the blighters had crawled to the nest’s defence, up my back, down my trousers…what a palaver. I must have made quite the sight jumping up and down on the roadside with my hands down my trousers trying to get the little stinging insects out of all sorts of unmentionable places. I was itching for a while afterwards.
(click on the image for a BIG view)
I pushed on past Pascagoula, into the night. Well after dark, I skated my way through Pascagoula, over the bridge to Gautier.
I pushed on past Gautier, hoping to find a church to camp behind. No such luck, and the US90 shoulder deteriorated once again. I finally pitched my tent behind a wall at the entrance of Shell Landing just west of Gautier, exhausted.
January 14th, 2008 | categorizilation: all categories,USA (Alabama),USA (FLorida)
Today’s distance / ???????: 51.6 miles / 83.0km
Average speed / ????: 8.7mph / 14.0km/h
Time on skateboard / ????: 5h 56m
Total skateboarding distance to date / ????????????: 1672mi (plus 266mi) / 2692km (plus 430km)
Ascent / ??: n/a
Descent / ??: n/a
End-of-day GPS coordinates: n/a
An early morning toodle-loo to Verna, Donna, and Tom, and I was away, on the road and keen to get some serious miles in today. That was cut short soon after I got on the road, with a random phone call from “Ric and Laura In the Morning“, a radio show from Albany, New York. The random phone call actually woke me up to a great degree, and I was riding the high of being noticed all the way up in New York, when I got the real shocker – a call from Colin McArdle from West FM in Scotland. We arranged for an interview for that evening.
By now I had become rather suspicious; how the hang were stations from the other side of the world hearing about me?! It appears that information about my journey has been posted on a news story website that picks up interestings stories from around the world. The interview with Colin was a great one. We managed to cover all aspects of my journey, and it was great speaking to a Scot; I wish I had made the trek up to Scotland when I was in the UK. Perhaps another day.
By late morning, I had entered Alabama, arriving in Gulf Shores about 11:30am. By then, the staff at the Tourist Information center that I had visited earlier, had contacted a local reporter, Barry, who, knowing I was a New Zealander, arranged to meet me at the Wheel House, a local restaurant run by a New Zealander. Lo and behold, the restaurant was a real fish and chip shop! My first real fish and chips for over two years, and it was in Alabama.
(Photo by Barry)
John Goodall is the owner and operator of the fish ‘n chip shop, and a real genuine New Zealander. He is from Nelson, up north in the South Island of New Zealand. He’s never run a fish ‘n chip shop before, but figured that it couldn’t be all that hard, and now has an extremely successful place. I really should not have had the fish and chips for lunch. Now I am craving them!
After leaving Gulf Shores, I made a mad dash for the Fort Morgan ferry that would take me to Daufin Island. I made it just in time, arriving just 10 minutes before the ferry arrived at 5:45pm.
It was dark by the time the ferry arrived at Daufin Island, so I set up my tent in the trees surrounding a parking lot at the Daufin Island bird sanctuary.
January 13th, 2008 | categorizilation: all categories,USA (FLorida)
Today’s distance / ???????: 9.20 miles / 14.8km
Average speed / ????: 8.6mph / 13.8km/h
Time on skateboard / ????: 1h 04m
Total skateboarding distance to date / ????????????: 1621mi (plus 266mi) / 2609km (plus 430km)
Ascent / ??: n/a
Descent / ??: n/a
End-of-day GPS coordinates: n/a
Tough leaving the warm atmosphere of Pensacola today. Knowing that I have more tough skating ahead. The only thing that keeps me going these days is the excitement of the unknown; a desire to see what is up the road.
Jamey and friend skater/surfer Charlie skated a few blocks to see me off out of Pensacola. I’m sure I’ve never seen so many skateboards in one place before, apart from a skateboard shop. Charlie is a bit of a collector.
We left from where I arrived in Pensacola – the public library. The white water tower eased into the distance as I rolled towards the west.
I was happy to have a cycle path and generous shoulders all the way out of Pensacola and to Pleasant Grove.
It was the following photos that totally ruined my plans for a long day on the board today.
Trash and Treasures Antique Shop. It kind of reminds me of the antique shop in the British TV comedy series The Old Summer Wine. In the TV series, once someone entered the shop, they didn’t leave without being pressured into buying something they don’t need by the elderly shopkeeper.
In this case, I wasn’t pressured into buying something, but as I was taking photos, the owner of the shop, a spritely 80 year old lady named Verna, along with two of her daughters rolled up beside me in their big old car, wound down the window, and asked what I was doing and where I was going. I did my explaination, and explained that I was also in today’s newspaper. Suitably impressed, they proceeded to abduct me for the rest of the day, taking me to lunch and showing me the local Naval Museum.
Despite the fact that I was gate-crashing Bonnie’s (lady holding the baby) birthday party, no one seemed perturbed by the fact that I was present; it was if this happened all the time. Further investigation into the lives of this lively family of four girls showed that they had done their share of camping in their time, driving near and far across the country for extended vacations. They would ocassionally come across a needy-looking person and take them under their wing. Thanks guys!
The navy museum in Pleasant Grove is incredible. It is massive, and jam packed full of very well preserved war planes.
Now, the culprit behind all the signs on the antique shop was of course Verna. Her husband passed away just over a year ago, and ever since she has been filling her time painting signs that express her feelings on all manner of subjects. The one below I found particularly poignant.
I was honoured when she showed me one she had made while I was away with her daughters Shiela and Donna at the navy museum. Stoked!
I ended up staying at Bonnie (the birthday girl) and Al’s place. I went to church with the family in the evening, and crashed at their place afterwards. It was a good thing that it worked out this way, as it seems as though my website was hacked either yesterday or today. I managed to get the issue worked out, and promptly changed my passwords on my server. I apologise if anyone was offended by the images and words that were displayed.
January 12th, 2008 | categorizilation: all categories,USA (FLorida)
I am staying at Jamey Jones’ place in Pensacola. Great guy, a teacher at Ferry Pass Middle School where I did the presentation yesterday. Among other things, he is a big time skater. Back in the day, he was one of the original new style skaters.
This afternoon, Jamey and I went skating around the neighbourhood. Had I been a better photographer I would have had a nice shot of him doing some classy moves on his boards. As it is, we will have to do with a still off a DVD he features on.
Earlier in the day, Jamey’s sister Lisa took me to have a look at her workplace – the famous award winning J’s Party Shop. They use the old fasioned gas ovens, and create tantilising goodies.
Such sugary delights. Everyone in the bakery were stoked to have a ‘famous’ person visit, and I signed a piece of paper seven times, just so that everyone would have a signature of a Guinness World Record holder…I hope I make it!
I spent far too much time in the place, and ended up leaving with a box full of sugary treats to see me on my way.
The complex to which the bakery is part of is also home to other interesting spots, including a colourful salon. Someone is going to have to remind me of the name of the place…
So a massive thank you to Jamey, Lisa, Anne, Maya, and their many friends for a wonderful stay in Pensacola.
January 11th, 2008 | categorizilation: all categories,USA (FLorida)
No skating today, but did get the opportunity to speak to 160 middle school kids at Ferry Pass Middle School in Pensacola.
I showed my Powerpoint Presentation of my trip so far. It was well received, and I got some great questions at the end. By far my answer to the ‘do you bathe?’ question got the biggest reaction.
“Well, the longest I went without having a shower was 21 days…” I replied, explaining that in some countries (such as Tajikistan, where those 21 days happened), just turning on a tap and having running water sometimes isn’t an option.
Afterwards, I spent most of the day updating the website, which was at least five days out of date.
————————–
FLASHBACK: This date last year – Day 172 – TURKEY: Oltu to Tortum
